4 ms·
Does it matter if it is on top of the sky at 11h, 12h or 13h? Noon or mid-day is still when the sun is at its highest point. Only noon does not have to be at 12
by nomercy400 6y ago
Does it matter if it is on top of the sky at 11h, 12h or 13h? Noon or mid-day is still when the sun is at its highest point. Only noon does not have to be at 12.
- heleninboodler 6y agoNo, it doesn't matter. Where I live, the time the sun is at its highest varies from 11:53 to 13:18 and at no time in the history of my city (I checked all the records) has a child ever asked why the sun isn't directly overhead precisely at noon.
- cgriswald 6y agoWell, you must not live where I grew up, because I asked this very question... ...which lead to me grokking time zones, time, solar noon, etc in a way I don’t think I would have if I hadn’t asked. Somehow solar noon not being noon didn’t have a negative impact on me as a kid. Weird, right?
- heleninboodler 6y agoMy answer was (hopefully obviously) tongue-in-cheek with regards to this never actually happening, but more importantly, it was a response to the idea that children would find it strange that the sun isn't directly overhead at noon. I don't know how a child could find that strange if it so rarely even happens that it is directly overhead at noon.
- SamBam 6y agoWhat? Is there any place in the world that distinguishes "noon" and 12:00pm in everyday speech? You're asking for a lot more trouble if you want to separate them. How about "afternoon" -- can that start at 11:00 am? (Yes, scientists can use the term "solar noon," but I'm talking about everyday speech.)